The present invention relates to a device for packaging and applying a substance, in particular a cosmetic or a care product, the device comprising a receptacle for containing the substance, said receptacle being provided at the top with an applicator that is permeable to the substance and that has an inside face fed with the substance coming from the receptacle.
Numerous devices of that type are known.
In use, the substance contained in the receptacle reaches the inside face of the applicator and travels towards its outside face through the material constituting the applicator, so as to come into contact with the skin of the user.
When the receptacle has a flexible wall, the user can feed the applicator by squeezing the receptacle wall.
However, when the receptacle has a rigid wall, the user is faced with the problem of how long the device can continue to be used in the head-up position, or even when the device is used horizontally and only a small quantity of substance remains in the receptacle.
In addition, the substance can have difficulty in diffusing through the applicator given its consistency.
There thus exists a need for a device that can be used for longer at a stretch and more comfortably.
In the novel packaging and applicator device of the invention, in the vicinity of the bottom face of the applicator, the device comprises an element that forms an intermediate reservoir that is in permanent communication with the receptacle and that is suitable for retaining a certain quantity of the substance when the device is turned upside-down from a head-up position and is then returned to the head-up position, said intermediate reservoir-forming element also being arranged to enable the substance retained in this way to feed the applicator, at least in certain conditions of use of the device.
By means of the invention the device can continue to be used for longer in the head-up position without any need to reload the applicator by turning the receptacle upside-down.
In addition, the intermediate reservoir-forming element can feed the applicator while the device is being used horizontally or substantially horizontally and the quantity of substance in the receptacle is insufficient to reach the applicator directly.
Advantageously, the intermediate reservoir-forming element and the applicator are arranged in such a manner that, in use, the applicator comes into contact with the substance retained by the intermediate reservoir-forming element when sufficient pressure is exerted on the applicator.
Passage of the substance through the applicator can also be enhanced by giving the intermediate reservoir-forming element a shape that is selected in such a manner that the substance contained in the intermediate reservoir-forming element is compressed by the applicator when the applicator is pressed against the intermediate reservoir-forming element, thus causing the substance to pass through the applicator.
Advantageously, the applicator is made of an open-celled, elastically deformable, cellular material, e.g. a foam or a sponge.
In a particular embodiment, the intermediate reservoir-forming element includes a cup which is concave towards the applicator, so as to retain a certain quantity of substance when the device is turned upside-down and then returned to the head-up position.
Still in a particular embodiment, the intermediate reservoir-forming element includes partitions tending to oppose return of the substance retained by the intermediate reservoir-forming element to the bottom of the receptacle when the device is tilted relative to the vertical from an initial head-up position.
Advantageously, said partitions are cylindrical, about the same axis as the receptacle.
In a variant, the partitions are provided with gaps that allow the substance to flow between them.
The distribution of the substance in the intermediate reservoir-forming element can thus be made to be more uniform.
In a particular embodiment, the applicator has an outside face of dome shape, and the inside face defines a recess into which the intermediate reservoir-forming element is engaged, at least in part.
Thus, in use, a small amount of deformation in the applicator suffices to cause the substance retained in the intermediate reservoir-forming element to come into contact with the applicator.
In a particular embodiment, the applicator is secured at its periphery to a support piece made of non-cellular material, e.g. a semi-rigid plastics material.
This support piece contributes to facilitating assembly of the applicator and its replacement, where appropriate.
In a particular embodiment, the receptacle has a bottom body and a top portion for receiving a closure cap, said top portion being constituted by a piece fitted on the body.
The bottom body is preferably made of a rigid plastics material for reasons of appearance.
In a particular embodiment, the top portion of the receptacle has a neck onto which the closure cap can be screwed.
Still in a particular embodiment, the top portion of the receptacle includes fastening means suitable for co-operating with the support piece of the applicator by snap-fastening.
Advantageously, the support piece of the applicator has two fastening tabs that are diametrically opposite and arranged when pressed inwards to enable the applicator to be separated from the receptacle, so as to enable it to be cleaned or replaced, for example.
Advantageously, the intermediate reservoir-forming element and the remainder of the top portion of the receptacle are made as a single piece by molding a plastics material.
In a particular embodiment, the intermediate reservoir-forming element is supported by a perforated wall having lateral passages allowing the substance contained in the receptacle to reach the space lying between the intermediate reservoir-forming element and the bottom face of the applicator when the receptacle is turned upside-down.
Advantageously, the above-mentioned perforated wall is connected to the intermediate reservoir-forming element without forming a projecting edge.
This reduces the risk of the applicator being damaged in use when pressed against the intermediate reservoir-forming element.
The region of the bottom face of the applicator that is directly in register with the intermediate reservoir-forming element may be plane or convex towards said element, so as to facilitate contact between the applicator and the substance retained in the intermediate reservoir-forming element.
In a variant embodiment, the applicator occupies substantially the entire inside volume of the intermediate reservoir-forming element, said inside volume being that in which the substance retained by the intermediate reservoir-forming element can accumulate.
In a particular embodiment, the reservoir-forming element has a rigid wall.
The invention also provides the use of a packaging and applicator device as defined above to apply a substance constituted by a cosmetic or care product to the body.